STOP Overusing Stock Images on Your Website

Stock images have their place. This post is about where to avoid them and what to use instead.

Stock images are everywhere on websites, posters, flyers and banners. They're a cheap, effective way to get images that look good, but in the long run they can hurt your brand.

They stick out like a sore thumb

Most people can spot a stock image from a mile away. They have a "look" about them that's clinical, sterile and almost too perfect.

Take this one for example:

Don't stare at the thumbs too long!

They're not you

By that, I mean they're not photos of you, your team, your products, your services or your happy customers.

They add no context or meaning to your work, so they just take up space and make your website load slower.

I often talk to people who think a picture on the page makes it less boring when there's too much text.

This is easily solved by having less text or making the text more engaging. Simply inserting stock images to break up the space makes your site feel cheap, and it doesn't make the content any nicer to read.

We've seen it all before

The same stock images tend to show up across a whole industry.

You better believe I have seen the same three stock images on almost every care provider, plumber and accountant website I come across.

It's a good way to confuse visitors, leaving them wondering, "Wasn't I just on this website? I better go back."

Did you read the licence?

Another common trap is finding stock images in a Google search and using them straight away without considering the licensing restrictions.

Unless you're paying for your stock images, or getting them from a source where the licence is clearly stated, assume you aren't allowed to use them on your website.

If you're found to be in breach of copyright, you might get a nasty email from your hosting provider or even have your website taken down.

If not stock, then what?

People want to feel a connection to you and your business when they visit your site. Give them that.

It could be:

• Photos of you and your staff
• Real photos of your products
• Photos of your clients or customers (with their permission)
• Candid shots of you talking to clients or working on something
• The producers of what you sell (farmers, for example)

They don't have to be perfect, and you don't have to be an expert photographer. That can come later.

Imagine if you ran a tattoo parlour and all of your photos were stock images of people with tattoos instead of you, your artists or your clients.

It wouldn't give customers a good feeling.

When stock images are fine

There's a time and a place for stock images. It's usually somewhere you just need an image that sends a message but doesn't form the main part of your content.

Some examples:

• Thumbnails for blog posts and knowledge base articles: usually a hybrid solution with your own titles and descriptions. The image is there to draw the eye but isn't the main focus.
• Placeholder images: if your original image can't be found or hasn't been uploaded, a placeholder keeps things consistent so you don't have a blank spot where an image should be.
• When there's no other option: if you're on a tight deadline, or you're just starting out with no clients, you might still question whether to have images at all. Assess that case by case.

Choosing a stock image

If you do need a stock image, here are some tips for choosing a good one:

• Keep it on brand: at least get similar colours and theme so it blends in with your website
• Don't make it a focal point: don't make it the first image a person sees on the page. Let it accent your content, not sit front and centre
• Add content with it: pair it with a title and description instead of leaving it floating on the page by itself

Need a hand?

If you've got too many stock images on your site, or you'd like to work with us to improve it, get in touch.